While quality assurance(QA)has been formally practiced in the Philippines for over six decades now,differences and seemingly insurmountable challenges still exist.To understand and untangle the complexity of the matter,it is imperative to look into the history of QA in the country from its inception in the 1950s until today.Understanding past efforts in improving the quality of education in the Philippines will help higher education institutions(HEIs)better prepared to adjust with the new trends and challenges in quality assurance in the 21st Century.One of the challenges is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN)Economic Integration by 2015.